This last weekend I went to YAGP.  What is that???  It is Youth American Grand Prix; which is an elite dance competition.

Normally, our girls go to competitions that are “convention-like”.  They are packed, and loud and very commercial feeling.  But YAGP is different.  It is the upper- echelon of dance competitions.

With regular dance competitions, you wear what you want; come and go as you please and scream as loud as you can for your kids!!  But YAGP is different.  You dress better, you come in respectfully and  you appreciate more quietly.  (totally  not my bag…..)

I had no idea what I was in for when I went to this competition.  I actually dressed up for this event.  We brought a group of our girls; dressed in their dance team attire and we walked in and sat down respectfully.

As the competition started, I sat mesmerized.  The dancers were really good.  At regular competitions, you get all sorts of competition from the flailing to the exquisite.  THIS competition lended itself to more the ‘exquisite’ line.

I felt, at this event, like I was more at a performance than a competition.  I enjoyed each group as it came on.

As I watched each performance, the mental camera was going off in my head.  And it was interesting to me that I realized something pretty profound…….

I am an emotional photographer.  And I don’t think that will ever change.

As I watched each dance, and took pictures in my head, I realized that I don’t really care about the technique these kids are putting out.  If they are making good emotional connection, I would shoot away!!

With dance photography there are a few components…..technique, presence, execution and emotion.

I literally found myself asking whether I would ever make a great dance photographer without technique training.

And then it dawned on me……. I don’t HAVE to be the best technique photographer as long as I have a team that supports me.

We are ALL good at something!!  We can’t be dragged down by the minute details that we can’t control!!!  I have worked with some great advisers.  I am thankful for their direction.   I will never forget when one of them said to me, ‘You are really good at dance photography’.  My response to her was, “You MUST take half the credit!”

Too often we fear if we aren’t perfect; we are failures.  And the truth is, if we are really good at something, it’s okay to build a team to help us perfect our craft!!

Afterall….the President doesn’t run the country alone!  He has his strengths; and his team helps him with the rest.

Be okay with who you are and what your strengths are!

Alone we can be good.  But as a team we can be GREAT!!!

Happy Wednesday!